On the heels of the American Red Cross declaring a national blood crisis and the Nebraska Community Blood Bank reporting its lowest blood supply since the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Nebraska System is calling on Nebraskans everywhere to help save lives and bring the We Give Blood championship back to Nebraska.
The nationwide competition, sponsored by Abbott and the Big Ten Conference, challenges students, alumni, faculty, staff and fans of all 18 Big Ten universities to donate blood and log their donations for their school. The university that records the most donations by Dec. 4 will receive a $1 million grant from Abbott to advance student or community health.
After finishing fewer than 1,000 donations behind Wisconsin in 2025, Nebraska has set a goal of generating 20,000 donations this year.
“Nebraskans have always answered the call when our neighbors need us,” University of Nebraska System President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, said. “Every blood donation will save one life and, in many instances, has the potential to save several lives. Every Nebraskan, every student, faculty and staff member, as well as every alum, fan and community member, no matter where they live, can be part of this effort. Together, we can meet an urgent need and bring the We Give Blood title back to Nebraska.”
Donations made beginning today are eligible for the competition, even though the online logging portal will not open until Aug. 26. Anyone can participate by donating at any blood center or blood drive in the United States, then logging the donation for Nebraska at BigTen.org/Abbott or by texting GIVEBLOOD to 222688. The campaign runs through Dec. 4. (Due to the blood shortage, donations made between Aug. 12 and the official start also will be honored as part of the competition).
Participants do not need to be University of Nebraska System students, employees or alumni. Any Nebraska fan, friend or supporter anywhere in the country can donate and credit the donation to Nebraska.
“Blood is essential to caring for patients experiencing trauma, undergoing surgery, receiving cancer treatment and facing many other serious health conditions,” said H. Dele Davies, MD, chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “It cannot be manufactured, and hospitals depend on volunteer donors to maintain a safe and reliable supply. At a time of critical need, donating blood is one of the most direct and meaningful ways each of us can help save lives.”
Donors on the UNMC Omaha campus are encouraged to attend any of the following events, including this Thursday. Information on each of the other events will be available in the coming weeks.
- Thursday, Aug. 27: Hope Tower
- Sept. 22: Lied Center
- Nov. 10: Hope Tower
- Nov. 24: Lied Center
Donors in the Lincoln area are encouraged to attend any of the following drives:
- Aug. 26: We Give Blood Drive-City Campus (mobile blood donation bus on S Street)
- Aug. 28: St. Mark’s on the Campus, Parish Hall
- Sept. 1: Nebraska Union, Centennial Room
Nebraska won the inaugural We Give Blood competition in 2024 with more than 4,000 donations, earning a $1 million grant from Abbott. The university distributed the funding to initiatives supporting students and communities across the state, including mental health support for Nebraska veterans, establishing an on-campus produce garden and adding a full-time financial coach for students, among other initiatives.
Support for the campaign surged in its second year. Nebraska recorded 14,551 donations in 2025, falling just 925 donations short of first-place Wisconsin. Nebraska led all Big Ten schools in alumni participation, with 3,167 alumni donations, and recorded the highest proportion of donations from its university community’s home city, with 32% coming from Lincoln.
This year, the university is working with blood collection organizations, businesses, civic organizations and communities across Nebraska to expand participation and make donating as convenient as possible.
UNMC is helping to support the We Give Blood drive through blood drives happening in Omaha and near UNMC locations.
The winning university will be announced during the 2026 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game on Dec. 5.